IEFA evaluation of materials

Evaluating American Indian Materials

and Resources for the Classroom

This publication was revised in 2015 by Laura Ferguson on behalf of the Indian Education Division

of the Montana Office of Public Instruction. It may be used to assist educators in choosing books and instructional

materials that provide accurate information about American Indians.

Cover art by: Samona Birdinground

Indian EducationMontana Office ofPublic Instruction
Evaluating American Indian Materials
and Resources for the Classroom
OriginalversioncompiledbyDr.MurtonMcCluskey,1992.

RevisedandupdatedbyLauraFerguson,2015.

PublishedbytheMontanaOfficeofPublicInstruction,

IndianEducationDivision

1992/rev.2015

Evaluating American Indian Materials and Resources for the Classroom

Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Why Evaluating Instructional Materials for Bias Matters 1
A Note about Definitions 2
How to Use this Evaluation Guide 3
Applying the Essential Understandings Regarding Montana Indians 4
Identifying Biases and Stereotypes in Instructional Materials 6
Textbooks and Literature (Main Content) 6
Author/Illustrator 9
Accompanying and Supplementary Materials 10
Illustrations, Visual Data, and Maps 10
DVDs and Film 12
Websites and Online Content 14
Working with Historical and Primary Documents 15
Challenges of Working with Historical and Primary Documents 15
Historical and Primary Document Analysis Form (for students and educators) 16
Actively Improving What You Teach and What Students Learn 17
Resource Evaluation Checklist for Educators 19
Additional Resources for Educators and Students 21
Print and Online Resources for Addressing Biases and Stereotypes 21
Resources for Analyzing Historical and Primary Documents 23
Montana IEFA Lesson Plans on Stereotypes, Biases, and Quality of Information 23
Helpful Montana Resources 24
Sources 25

Introduction
Why Evaluating Instructional Materials for Anti-Indian Bias Matters
Textbooks and classroom materials influence millions of students of all ethnic backgrounds on a daily basis.
Most often, books and instructional resources are selected by school personnel, and students are expected to
accept these materials as valid and accurate. Students will use any information they are exposed to in forming
their understandings of and attitudes toward American Indians. Therefore, it is very important that teachers
select instructional materials that do not promote existing stereotypes, or create new ones, or prevent students
from acquiring accurate and valid information.
A textbook has no right to be wrong [about], evade, distort, falsify history, or
insult or malign a whole race of people. There is a difference between a book
for general readership and one accepted for classroom use. In the first case, the
individual has a choice, and this choice must be protected. The students [have]
no choice. They are compelled to read from an approved text, and in this case,
we must insist on the truth, accuracy and objectivity.1
Historically, the point-of-view of published American history has been that of Euro-American males and has
been far from objective, while American Indian experiences and perspectives for the most part have been
omitted or distorted. Even today, many instructional materials and books continue to provide limited and biased
representations of American Indians, leading to limited and biased teaching and learning.
Typically, when teaching about Native Americans, teachers favor two approaches
. . . The first is the“dead and buried culture approach,”which portrays Native
Americans as being extinct . . . Second is the“tourist approach,”where students
“visit”a different culture [where] they experience only the unusual or exotic
components of Native American cultures. 2
The“dead and buried”approach seeks to nullify the existence of American Indians today and to render
their past remote, generic, and inconsequential. The“tourist”approach fascinates students by emphasizing
“different”clothing, food, celebrations, or focusing on“quaint”customs and material objects, but overlooks real
people leading real lives. Both approaches“teach simplistic generalizations about other peoples and lead to
stereotyping, rather than to understanding.”3
Regarding America’s indigenous people as the“vanishing race”or as an interesting“tourist stop”are just two
of many forms of anti-Indian biases prevalent in popular American culture and in educational materials. As
American Indians have become more aware of the distorted representations of their cultures in American
classrooms and the omissions of their histories from educational materials, they have inspired a deliberate and
sustained effort to broaden the scope of instructional resources to include their voices and perspectives. Crucial
to their success is educators’commitment to understanding what constitutes bias and to evaluating thoroughly
the instructional materials they use for bias, omission, and misrepresentations.
1
Costo, Rupert. Textbooks and the American Indian. San Francisco, CAY: Indian Historian Press, 1970.
2
Almeida, Deidre A. Countering Prejudice against American Indians and Alaska Natives through Antibias Curriculum and Instruction.

Charleston, WV: ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small Schools, 1996.

3
D. LeeKeenan, cited in Almeida

Evaluating American Indian Materials and Resources for the Classroom 1

All students benefit when educators eliminate those resources that malign or disparage American Indians, falsify
information about tribes or about the U.S.-Indian relations, or perpetuate stereotypes and inaccuracies. Bias-free
educational materials encourage appreciation and respect for diversity among individuals and communities
of people. American Indian students gain self-confidence and respect when educational materials accurately
reflect and validate their identities, cultures, and histories. Non-Indian students benefit by recognizing the
complexity, diversity, and intrinsic value of American Indian cultures, as well as by acknowledging the valuable
contributions American Indians have made (and continue to make) to American society as a whole. All students
benefit from being able to examine historical and contemporary events, policies, and interactions from an
accurate and respectful vantage point.
Teachers, librarians, and curriculum coordinators should analyze and evaluate potential instructional materials to
ensure that American Indian topics are treated fairly, objectively, and accurately. This evaluation guide can help
educators identify many different types of biases in educational materials (including textbooks and literature),
visual data and illustrations, DVDs and films, websites, and historical documents, so that teachers can make
informed decisions about the instructional material they use. These same materials should also be assessed for
how thoroughly they meet the Essential Understandings Regarding Montana Indians. This way, educators and
students can move beyond the“dead and buried”or“tourist stop”approaches to teaching and learning about
American Indians and move toward a genuine implementation of Indian Education for All.
A Note about Definitions
Many of the terms commonly used to refer to the indigenous inhabitants of North America (singularly, in groups,
or collectively) are biased terms that stem from a non-indigenous, Eurocentric point-of-view. The significance of
some of these terms has changed over time, however, and their inherent biases, while still present, do not carry
the same weight as they did five centuries ago. For convenience, some of these terms (and others) are defined
for educators.
American Indian or Native American? While the misnomer American“Indian”reveals Columbus’geographical
confusion of India with the Americas, the term“American Indian”persists in common usage and is generally
interchangeable with“Native American”(although some individuals prefer one term over the other). Both terms
refer to the descendants of the indigenous people of North America in what is now the United States. This bias
is not likely to go away any time soon, although“First Nation”has replaced“Aboriginal”in Canada and“First
American”is occasionally used in the United States. Whenever possible, it is preferable to use a specific tribal
affiliation.
Tribe, Tribal Nation, or Nation? The word“tribe”is problematic in the same way that the misnomer“American
Indian”is problematic. The strict definition of“tribe”is a group of inter-related people sharing a common
language and culture. When first applied by English colonialists,“tribe”conferred a measure of judgment—
as if the indigenous people whom Europeans encountered did not constitute nations (politically sovereign
entities with specific geographical territories). However, military and economic treaties between colonialist
governments and“tribes”recognize implicitly (and sometimes explicitly) indigenous populations as nations by
acknowledging their sovereignty.
Like“Indian,”the term“tribe”has evolved beyond is original, colonialist usage. Today,“tribe”does not solely
imply an ethnic group, but also indicates an indigenous nation. It would be more correct to cease using“tribe”
and“Indian”entirely, but the terms have become a solid part of the American English lexicon. If we are going to
continue using these terms, we need to acknowledge the irony of their original meanings and emphasize that,
as used today, they no longer connote deliberate misidentification or ethnocentric bias.

Indigenous or Native? While the term“Native”is often used to indicate the original North Americans, it is
easily confused with native (with a small“n”), which merely implies that a person was born to a specific location.
“Indigenous”is a more accurate descriptor, as it signifies the people, cultures, languages, and ways of life that
originated in North America according to indigenous peoples’own histories.
How to UseThis Evaluation Guide
The purpose of this document is to help teachers, librarians, and curriculum directors evaluate classroom
materials for stereotypes, inaccuracies, omissions, and biases about American Indians that are so prevalent in
American literature, films, and educational materials, so that these educators can make informed decisions when
selecting instructional materials. It is divided into several different sections:
“Applying the Essential Understandings Regarding Montana Indians” identifies the biases and omissions
that each Essential Understanding seeks to remedy in Montana’s educational curricula. While educators may
be familiar with the Essential Understandings, they may not realize that embedded within each of the Essential
Understandings are significant topics frequently omitted by biased instructional materials.
“Identifying Biases and Stereotypes in Instructional Materials”introduces teachers to the main types of
biases and stereotypes they are likely to encounter in both popular media and educational materials. This
section is broken down into six categories for ease of use: Textbooks and Literature (Main Content); Author/
Illustrator; Accompanying and Supplementary Materials; Illustrations, Visual Data, and Maps; DVDs
and Film; and Websites and Online Content. Within each category, specific types of biases are defined and
described, and many of them are applicable to materials beyond the category in which they are described.
(For example, many of the biases described in the“Textbooks and Literature”section are equally applicable to
DVDs and Films, as well as to Websites.) Once educators are familiar with these forms of bias, they can use the
“Resource Evaluation Checklist” to assess specific instructional materials.
“Working with Historical and Primary Documents” is its own section because historical and primary
documents often contain an abundance of biases, omissions, and overt prejudices that exemplify the social,
political, cultural, and religious perspectives of American society during a specific era or regarding a particular
event. This section offers suggestions for how to use historical and primary documents to teach simultaneously
about the topic of the document and about the biases it may include, so that students will gain a deeper
understanding of the origins and legacies of prejudice throughout U.S. history. This section includes a
“Historical and Primary Document Analysis Worksheet”for student and teacher use.
“Actively Improving What You Teach and What Students Learn” reaffirms the steps teachers can take to
implement an anti-bias curriculum in their classrooms.
Teachers can use the “Resource Evaluation Checklist” after they have familiarized themselves with the
different types of biases presented in the“Identifying Biases and Stereotypes”section. The checklists can be
used by librarians, curriculum coordinators, and teachers when choosing instructional materials to purchase or
for culling from classroom or school libraries; students may use it to evaluate books they read, illustrations they
encounter, or websites they consult.
“Resources for Educators and Students” presents a list of print, online, and organizational resources that can
aid educators in evaluating and selecting anti-bias educational materials. It also includes resources for educating
students about stereotypes and prejudices, as well as links to the websites of Montana American Indian nations.

ApplyingThe Essential Understandings Regarding Montana Indians
The Essential Understandings Regarding Montana Indians are an essential component of anti-bias curriculum
in Montana. Embedded within each of the Essential Understandings are concepts that are fundamental to
counteracting stereotyping, biases, and prejudice. When incorporating Indian Education for All lesson plans into
your curriculum, take note of the biases they seek to correct and include supplementary materials that reinforce
accurate information.
Essential Understanding 1: There is great diversity among the 12 tribal nations of Montana in their languages,
cultures, histories and governments. Each nation has a distinct and unique cultural heritage that contributes to
modern Montana.
 ANTI-BIAS CONCEPT: Cultural diversity.
Essential Understanding 2: There is great diversity among individual American Indians as identity is developed,
defined and redefined by many entities, organizations and people. There is a continuum of Indian identity
ranging from assimilated to traditional and identity is unique to each individual. There is no generic American
Indian.
 ANTI-BIAS CONCEPT: Personal diversity.
Essential Understanding 3: The ideologies of Native traditional beliefs and spirituality persist into modern day life as
tribal cultures, traditions and languages are still practiced by many American Indian people and are incorporated into
how tribes govern and manage their affairs. Additionally, each tribe has its own oral history – beginning with their
origins – that are as valid as written histories. These histories pre-date the “discovery” of North America.
 ANTI-BIAS CONCEPTS: Indigenous cultures are not dead. Tribal histories are unique, extensive,
complex, and valid. Tribal histories pre-date Columbus by many millennia.
Essential Understanding 4: Reservations are lands that have been reserved by the tribes for their own use through
treaties and were not “given” to them. The principle that land should be acquired from the Indians only through their
consent with treaties involved three assumptions:
a) that both parties to treaties were sovereign powers;
b) that Indian tribes had some form of transferable title to the land;
c) that acquisition of Indian lands was solely a government matter not to be left to individual colonists.
 ANTI-BIAS CONCEPTS: Tribes were not given their homelands or reservations. The federal

government negotiated with tribes for land on a nation-to-nation basis.

Essential Understanding 5: There were many federal policies put into place throughout American history that have
impacted Indian people and shape who they are today.
 ANTI-BIAS CONCEPTS: American Indians are not extinct. American Indians have been affected
by federal policies and have also influenced changes in federal policies. For the most part,
interactions between the U.S. government and indigenous people have not been benign or
neutral. (For educators’convenience examples of these interactions by policy era are specified
within each policy area.)
Colonization/Colonial Period, 1492 – 1800s. Includes innumerable wars and massacres; depletion of
natural resources for European trade; enormous population decline across the continent due to infectious
disease epidemics; and dispossession of many eastern tribes.

Treaty Period, 1789 – 1871. Includes the Removal Policy and forced displacement of many eastern tribes
to west of the Mississippi; expansion of the fur trade and gold rush into the West; innumerable treaties
between the United States and tribal nations; illegal trespass of settlers onto designated tribal lands; Indian
Wars and massacres (1850s-1890); near extermination of the Plains bison; epidemics; and the establishment
of most of Montana’s reservations.
Assimilation Period, 1879 – 1934. Includes the Allotment Policy that fragmented reservations under the
Dawes Act of 1887 and precipitated substantial land loss; the Boarding School Policy aimed at divesting
indigenous children of their indigenous languages, cultures, and tribal connections; federal oppression of
tribal spiritual practices; the passage of the 1924 Indian Citizenship Act; and, generally, extreme poverty on
the reservations.
Tribal Reorganization Period, 1934 – 1958. Includes the Indian Reorganization Act to establish tribal
governments modeled after corporate governing boards; the Indian Arts and Crafts movement; and a lift
on the ban on tribal religious and spiritual ceremonies. Also includes the rise of collective American Indian
political power through organizations like the National Congress of American Indians.
Termination and Relocation Period, 1953 – 1971. Includes the Termination Policy aimed at obliterating
the federal government’s trust responsibilities towards tribes, as well as a renewed attempt at assimilation
via Relocation. Also includes non-consensual sterilization of indigenous women by government-employed
medical personnel.
Self-Determination Period, 1968 – Present. Includes major American Indian political activism and passage
of important legislation such as the Indian Self-Determination and Education Act, the American Indian
Religious Freedom Act, Indian civil rights legislation, and the Tribal Self-Governance Act, in addition to many
important judicial decisions. This era is characterized by an affirmation and reassertion of tribal sovereignty.
In Montana, the 1972 Constitution asserts that students will study American Indians’cultures and histories.
Essential Understanding 6: History is a story and most often related through the subjective experience of the teller.
Histories are being rediscovered and revised. History told from an Indian perspective conflicts with what most of
mainstream history tells us.
 ANTI-BIAS CONCEPT: American Indians’experiences of historical events frequently differ from
those of non-Indians and are worthy of study.
Essential Understanding 7: Under the American legal system, Indian tribes have sovereign powers separate and
independent from the federal and state governments. However, the extent and breadth of tribal sovereignty is not the
same for each tribe.
 ANTI-BIAS CONCEPT: Tribes are sovereign nations and have not relinquished their inherent
sovereignty. Tribes continue to exercise their sovereignty today.
For the complete Essential Understanings Regarding Montana Indians see:
http://opi.mt.gov/pdf/indianed/resources/essentialunderstandings.pdf.

Identifying Biases And Stereotypes In Instructional Materials
Textbooks and Literature (Main Content)
This section defines several types of biases, explains how each one is harmful, and provides examples of each
one. Anti-Indian biases can be divided into two broad categories: distortions of history and distortions of
culture and identity. Both categories include misinformation, blatant inaccuracies, judgment, and omission of
important information. Distortions of history prevent students from knowing what really happened, deny the
validity or importance of indigenous experiences, and hinder students’understanding America’s own complex
history. Similarly, distortions of culture and identity prejudice students’perceptions of American Indian people
by misrepresenting tribal cultures, values, and ways of life. Educators should evaluate the main content of
textbooks and literature for such distortions, inaccuracies, and stereotypes. DVDs, films, websites, and historical
documents may also contain these types of biases.
1. Omission – The absence of indigenous presence, tribal histories, or American Indian perspectives
in textbooks implies that indigenous or American Indian peoples never existed or that their
experiences were not worthy of consideration. For example, most U.S. history textbooks contain a
section on the Bering Strait Theory and present it as fact and as the only way North America could
have been populated. This approach excludes all other archeological theories and, more importantly,
denies the validity of indigenous origin stories, oral histories, and tribes’own archaeological
knowledge. Along these same lines, the omission of significant American Indian content in history
texts beyond a certain time period implies wrongly that American Indians and indigenous cultures
are extinct.
2. Avoidance of controversial issues – All too often textbooks and curricula skirt around controversial
issues or gloss over them to minimize their actual significance. Some examples include the ongoing,
negative impacts of Indian boarding schools on generations of American Indian families; the
mismanagement of tribal and individual Indian monies by the Bureau of Indian Affairs; and the
genocide that accompanied the California gold rush. Such avoidance leaves students without
a realistic understanding of actual events and without regard for indigenous people’s lived
experiences. It is imperative that educators make a concerted effort to present multiple sides of
controversial and complex issues rather than glossing over or avoiding them.
3. Selectivity – Some textbooks and literary works mention only those indigenous people (like
Squanto or Sacagawea) who aided the European colonists or American settlers, while failing to
feature indigenous heroes or heroines whose actions benefited their own societies. American
Indians need to be included in classroom materials in all their complexity—not just for their
remarkable contributions to American society, but also for their own accomplishments and on
their own merits. The absence of indigenous heroes and heroines in children’s literature and
in films implies all students should emulate only the white role models that surround them in
abundance, as if there are no indigenous heroes or heroines whose actions and values are worthy of
acknowledgement.
4. Tokenism – Like selectivity, tokenism gives the appearance of inclusion, and yet a closer look reveals
that American Indian content is superficial, isolated, or treated as an after-thought. Tokenism is very
prevalent in state and national history textbooks, which tend to mention indigenous people very
sporadically and only in relation to European or Euro-American exploits: the Pilgrim’s Thanksgiving,

Custer’s demise at Little Big Horn, and perhaps as World War II code talkers. If a significant American
Indian content is not infused throughout a textbook, then that resource is not doing justice to
American Indian issues, people, or histories or to the full history of the United States.
5. Ethnocentric bias – Ethnocentric bias is the presentation of a one-sided perspective (that of one’s
own culture) to the exclusion or condemnation of all else. Ethnocentric bias often manifests itself
in culturally biased language – for example, in claims that Columbus“discovered”America, that
the West was a“vast, untamed wilderness,”and that Christian missionaries“brought religion”to
“heathens.”While some ethnocentrism is inevitable (as every text grows from a particular context),
instructional materials should take into account divergent experiences and perspectives so as to
present a more complete picture.
6. Primitivism and Paternalism are two forms of ethnocentric bias that the United States
institutionalized when it defined American Indians as“children”who were the“incompetent wards”
of the Great White Father and the federal government.
7. Be wary of presenting information that repeatedly depicts American Indians acting
exclusively in reaction to Europeans or Euro-Americans, as doing so suggests indigenous
peoples did not have their own, inherent reasons for their actions—reasons that may have had
nothing to do with the actions or presence of non-Indians.
8. Value judgment – Ethnocentric biases often lead to value judgment: one culture sets its own
standards as the universal standard and judges others by how well they measure up. Under this
one-sided system, others’cultural attributes are only deemed virtuous when they reflect one’s own
values, norms, behaviors, and beliefs. Such judgment denies the inherent merits of indigenous
nations and/or cultures by superimposing non-indigenous value systems. Subtly or overtly, such
judgment conveys notions of superiority and inferiority and, by doing so, creates shame and
encourages racism.
9. Educators should examine very closely how texts present people, behaviors, and value systems. Is
all that is“white”presented as being good, while what is“Indian”portrayed as bad? Is Christianity
held to be spiritually or morally superior, while indigenous spirituality or moral principles deemed
inferior? Are white people depicted as being more rationale, capable, intelligent, or compassionate
than American Indian people? Teachers must be conscious of how they present information so as
not to imply superiority or inferiority.
10. Blatant inaccuracies – Some resources perpetuate blatant inaccuracies about American Indians,
such as the fallacies that reservation lands were“given”to Indians, that Indians“get free money
and food from the government,”and that“Indians don’t pay taxes.”These biases will persist if not
addressed in school. Perhaps one of the biggest distortions disseminated by textbooks is that“the
West was won.”This idea implies the United States defeated Indian tribes and acquired dominance
over the West via military conquest and surrender. No such conquest occurred, although many
violent confrontations took place. Euro-Americans did not“win”the West, nor did tribes relinquish
their inherent rights, all of their land, or their sovereignty.
11. Biased language – Biased terminology in books distorts American Indian identities by misleading
the reader. Biased language often stems from ethnocentrism. Some examples are the use of
“massacre”when Euro-Americans were killed versus“battle”when whites killed indigenous people;
calling white women simply“women,”but referring to indigenous women as“squaws;”claiming that
Europeans had“religion”but indigenous cultures had“superstitions.”

12. Stereotyping – Literature, films, and advertising often contain stereotypes that, once acquired, can
be very difficult to unlearn. Anti-Indian stereotypes promote misunderstanding, fear, and prejudice
today, just as they did in the past. Historically, explorers, conquistadors, traders, colonialists,
government officials, the military, churches, teachers, the media, and Euro-American citizens created
prejudiced descriptions of indigenous peoples as“savage,”“warlike,”“treacherous,”“immoral,”or
“uncivilized.”Indigenous women have been stereotyped as subservient, toiling drudges, whose
power is denied by such a characterization. These stereotypes were used to justify acts of violence,
dispossession, oppression, and genocide against indigenous peoples. Other stereotypes, such as the
“noble savage”or the“Indian living in harmony with nature,”may appear to be less harmful, but still
distort American Indians’identities by promoting unrealistic generalizations.
13. Objectification – Some resources focus exclusively on American Indians’physical appearances or
athletic ability, but dismiss or deny their intellectual, emotional, or humanitarian qualities. This is
objectification. Other instructional materials overemphasize tribes’material culture (clothing, tools,
dwellings, crafts, weaponry, food, etc.), but fail to include significant discussion of tribes’diverse
and complex social, political, and economic systems, their considerable scientific knowledge, or
indigenous peoples’many achievements.
14. Dehumanization – At their worst, judgment, biased language, and stereotyping present indigenous
people as less than human. Since colonial times, Europeans and Euro-Americans have dehumanized
indigenous people in order to justify killing, overthrowing, or dispossessing them. Today,
dehumanization may not be as obvious, but it does persist. Children’s books that depict animals
dressed in“Indian”clothing subtly perpetuate notions of Indians being less than human, as do films
or literature describing Native peoples as behaving with“savage animal aggression”or“wildly.”
15. Generic Indian identity – Educators should avoid materials that imply there is a generic“American
Indian”identity or that suggest American Indians are monocultural or mono-linguistic. At the time of
European contact, there were over 1,000 unique indigenous groups in what is now the United States,
each with its own language and culture. Today, there are over 500 different federally recognized
tribes who speak over 300 distinct languages. Indigenous languages are not dialects, and most are
not mutually intelligible. Some are language isolates (languages that are unrelated to any other
existing language). Beware of instructional materials and literary works that mix and match tribal
attributes without distinction. Even today, all tribes do not share the same values, norms, spiritual
beliefs, customs, kinship systems, material culture, economies, political systems, physical attributes,
or specific histories.
16. Historicizing – Materials that consistently refer to American Indians in the past tense (or only show
images of historical indigenous people) imply that American Indians and/or their tribes are extinct.
Similarly, those resources that dismiss contemporary American Indians as not being“real Indians”
hold contemporary people to an unrealistic, static identity. (Imagine if today’s“real”European-
Americans had to wear bonnets or wooden clogs, were expected to speak Shakespearean English, or
had to know how to spin wool into yarn.) Historicizing denies the existence of real people who are
the descendants of this continent’s indigenous populations.

Author and Illustrator
Evaluating the author and illustrator of a product is another important step in assessing the material for biases.
This step is especially important when evaluating Native American-themed children’s or young adult literature,
illustrations, and films, because these materials claim to relate American Indian experiences via American Indian
characters or purport to recount American Indian traditional stories or histories. Librarians and teachers will
need to take extra care when assessing any material claiming to be about“Native Americans,”“American Indians,”
or even a specific tribe. Consider the following criteria:
1. Connection: Does the author or illustrator have a genuine and solid connection to the culture or
tribal nation that is featured in the book, illustration, or film? If not, did a tribal member, historian,
or cultural committee provide consultation or review the product for accurate and respectful
representation of that specific tribe? Look for reviews by American Indian media reviewers and
by members of the tribe the resource claims to be about. Be wary of authors or illustrators whose
connections are dubious or insubstantial.
2. Acknowledgement: Does the author or illustrator acknowledge the indigenous source of the story
or images? Is the author or illustrator seeking to make a profit off of someone else’s tradition and
culture?
3. Insider viewpoint: Does the author or illustrator of the product have a genuine understanding of
the story or image, and can she/he present it from a cultural insider’s point-of-view? Avoid materials
by authors or illustrators who present American Indian characters or themes from a non-Indian
perspective while claiming to represent an American Indian perspective, those who claim a generic
“American Indian”identity, and those who seek to validate their“expertise”by claiming a remote
indigenous ancestor.
4. Non-indigenous variations on traditional stories: Some non-Native authors or illustrators
superimpose non-indigenous themes, values, and behaviors on indigenous characters, sometimes
altering an indigenous tradition to make it appeal to non-Indian audiences. Close scrutiny of
the author or illustrator might reveal a likelihood of this bias, as might checking with a reputable
reviewer.
5. Judgment: Superimposing an outsider’s judgment over another culture’s subject matter can be as
subtle as calling an indigenous oral history a“myth.”Look for value-based language, stereotyping,
and overt or implicit shaming, as well as the author’s tone. (See Textbooks and Literature – Main
Content for more information about judgment, stereotypes, and value-based language.)
6. Imitation: In the early twentieth century, American and European composers, fashion designers,
and choreographers created musical scores, textiles, dresses, and dances that mimicked indigenous
artistic elements, mixing and matching attributes from many different tribes. Often, these imitations
more closely resembled the non-Indians’perceptions of indigenous material, leading to generic
“Indian”themes. Similarly, many authors and illustrators have made their careers creating imitations
– stories or illustrations“in the style of”traditional indigenous stories, oral histories, or visual
imagery. Imitation does not promote genuine appreciation for authentic indigenous stories or
histories, and mimicking a tribe’s story-telling style or imagery does not show respect for the actual
people whose culture is being imitated.

For more points to consider when evaluating an author or illustrator of “American Indian” literature, see Oyate’s
Additional Criteria at http://oyate.org/index.php/resources/42-resources/oyate-s-additional-criteria.
Accompanying and Supplementary Materials
When examining and evaluating instructional materials (particularly literature and textbooks), educators should
consider the accompanying and supplementary materials as well as the main content.
1. Index: The index of the book will give an indication of the amount and extent of American Indian-
related content. Are the terms used in association with particular tribes (or in reference to events
affecting American Indians) biased, inaccurate, or misleading? Check for variety of American Indian-
related topics, as well as specificity and accuracy.
2. Teacher’s Guide: Do the objectives and learner outcomes listed in the teacher’s guide or in the
lesson plan include specific objectives relating to the American Indian content? Are these objectives
consistent with the Essential Understandings Regarding Montana Indians? Does the teacher’s guide
provide enough information to assist the teacher in meeting these objectives? If the Index and
the Teacher’s Guide both lack substantial reference to American Indian issues, people, histories, or
specific cultures, the textbook is unlikely to contain significant and diverse American Indian content.
3. Discussion Questions: Do a significant number of discussion questions address American Indian
people, issues, experiences, or histories? Are students asked to consider multiple sides of a
controversial issue or diverse effects of a policy, including impacts on American Indians? Are the
questions phrased in a biased way so as to force a particular conclusion? As is relevant to the topic,
do the questions address contemporary American Indian issues as well as historical ones? Finally, do
the questions reflect the Essential Understandings?
4. Suggested Activities: Do the activities promote respect, appreciation, and understanding of
American Indians? Do they encourage students to learn more about specific American Indian people
or topics? Conversely, do they encourage“playing Indian”or other disrespectful imitation based on
stereotypes? If the suggested activities lack substantive American Indian content, help students
make significant connections between the topic and American Indian cultures, histories, or people.
5. Further Reading: Do the suggestions for further reading contain significant content about
American Indians? Check with American Indian book-review websites, individuals, or organizations
for reviews on recently published materials.
6. Copyright Date: When was the instructional material first published and when was it most recently
revised? It is important to examine critically any textbook printed originally in the mid-twentieth
century to see if the changes are substantive or mere tokenism. Quick revisions in a few paragraphs
or illustrations will not create a textbook with significantly improved American Indian content.
Illustrations,Visual Data, and Maps
Visual information has a very important function in the learning process. This is true for people of all ages, but
particularly true for young children who have not yet learned how to read. Images leave immediate, powerful
impressions that shape viewers’perceptions of the subject.

Many students come to the school environment with pre-formed negative stereotypes they learned through
exposure to biased or inaccurate visual imagery from television, movies, or picture books. By conveying
inaccurate and disparaging notions, such imagery transmits prejudice with immediacy.
Subtly or overtly, biased imagery creates prejudiced perceptions. Educators need to be wary of illustrations that
generalize American Indians’appearance or disparage American Indian cultures, as well as those that historicize
American Indians or pigeon-hole them into a single economic status, social role, or way of life. When biased,
negative, or inaccurate images of American Indians are used, non-Indians do not perceive actual American
Indian people or their cultures as they really are. American Indian children may feel inferior, embarrassed, or
ashamed when images or illustrations depict American Indian people or indigenous cultures in a negative,
distorted, or dehumanizing way.
Teachers should select books with illustrations and visual data that present accurate images of American Indians
in order to promote better understanding of the diversity of the American Indian population today and in the
past. Educators must work diligently to eliminate materials that overtly or covertly promote prejudice or foster
notions of racial or cultural inferiority.
When evaluating illustrations and visual data, particularly in textbooks and literature, teachers should
ask several questions, such as:
• Does the visual resource contain caricatures of American Indians, portray a generic culture, or
perpetuate stereotypes about American Indians?
• Are the cover and content illustrations culturally and temporally accurate?
• Does the illustrator have significant connections to the people or culture being portrayed?
• Would any of the images embarrass or shame any American Indian students?
The following guidelines, expanded and adapted from“ ‘I’ Is Not For Indian”by Naomi Caldwell-Wood, can help
the teacher or librarian select appropriate visual materials:
1. For textbook illustrations and visual data, always check the illustration captions for accuracy,
bias, stereotypes, omission, etc., just as you would examine any other text.
2. Illustrations, including those on book or DVD covers, should not reinforce negative
stereotypes about American Indians. Avoid, for example, images of wagon trains being
attacked by Indians or pictures of menacing-looking indigenous men wielding tomahawks, which
erroneously suggest that indigenous people were or are a threat to Euro-Americans. Also, avoid
sexualized images of“Indian maidens”in short or low-cut fringed dresses.
3. Illustrations should not portray American Indians as cartoonish caricatures with exaggerated
physical features, animals, or as counting objects. Beware of illustrations showing Indians
as war-bonneted chiefs with large hooked noses, as wooden Indians, in“how”gestures, or as
counting objects (like“Ten Little Indians”). Pictures of animals in generic“Indian”clothing are also
dehumanizing and do nothing to promote respect for actual American Indians, past or present. Such
illustrations ridicule American Indians and mislead all students.
4. Illustrations of American Indians should not simply color over Caucasian features or portray
a generic“Indian”phenotype. American Indians have a wide variety of skin tones and diverse
physical features. They should never be depicted as having red skin. Similarly, illustrations should
also not mix and match clothing, hairstyles, phenotypical features, dwelling types, or symbols from
many different tribes as if there are no cultural distinctions.

5. Illustrations should show American Indians in clothing and hairstyles contemporary to
the place, culture, and era being depicted. Too often, illustrations perpetuate the stereotype
that American Indians walk around all the time in feathers carrying bows and arrows. When
contemporary American Indians are shown in traditional dress or regalia, the teacher can explain
to students that today’s American Indians usually only wear traditional dress or regalia for special
occasions, celebrations, certain ceremonies, and powwows.
6. Illustrations should portray American Indians in a variety of socio-economic settings, as one
would expect to see other Americans. They should be shown living in the same variety of homes
as other Americans live. If poor conditions are repeatedly portrayed, students may wrongly assume
that all American Indians live in poverty.
7. Illustrations should depict American Indians in a wide range of occupational roles, including
executive, professional, and vocational occupations accurate to the context of the story. These
more accurate images provide positive role models for American Indian children and also help break
down misconceptions that all American Indians are unemployed or only work in occupations limited
to crafts, such as pottery and jewelry making, blanket weaving, and beading.
8. Historical photographs sometimes may also be inaccurate or inauthentic, and some research
on the photographer is essential. Some historical photographers staged their photographs of
American Indians to make them appear“more Indian”– in other words, more like the stereotypes
non-Indians had already created for them. Other photographers took more candid photographs and
provided sufficient descriptive text to identify the tribe, place, date, and activity being depicted in
the photograph. Distinguish between the two.
9. Textbook maps should be historically and geographically accurate. The location of the tribes
should be correct, specific, and accurate for the time period. Many English names for tribes are
not the same names tribes use for themselves. Most maps are inherently biased in that they are
ethnocentric; very few contain tribes’own place names, for example.
10. Statistics in textbook graphs, charts, and tables should be figuratively and numerically
accurate and up-to-date. The source of information for the data should always be included.
DVDs and Film
The Hollywood Indian is the preeminent American Indian stereotype of the 20th century. Most films made
during this era contain extreme inaccuracies that perpetuate misinformation and prejudices. DVDs and films
featuring or about American Indians should be evaluated for biases using the same criteria as print resources
– looking at the quality of the main content, investigating the creators (including consultants) and their
connections to the tribe(s) portrayed in the film, and assessing the visual images for distortions. Additionally,
educators should consider several other factors when assessing DVDs and films:
1. Who are the actors that portray American Indians in the film? Are they actual American Indians
or non-Indians dressed up? Are they playing generic“Indian”characters or do they accurately
represent specific tribes?
2. What are the American Indians characters wearing? Is the clothing stereotypical breech clothes,
fringed dresses, and feathers? Or is a real attempt made to show culturally and historically accurate
clothing specific to a particular tribe?

3. What languages are being spoken in the film? If indigenous languages are spoken, are they
translated? Many older films featured fake“Indian”languages or did not bother to translate what was
being said.
4. Do the American Indians in the film speak broken English (in a stereotypical fashion, like the
Lone Ranger’s sidekick)?
5. Is the setting accurate (time, place, tribe), and are the dress, material culture, personal
behavior, and language accurate to a specific tribe.
6. Is the soundtrack“generic Indian”style—flutes or drums, not associated with any actual
tribe? Many Western films and cartoons from the mid-twentieth century feature a fake, four-count
“Hollywood beat”that imitated a non-Indian’s interpretation of“Indian”music. Similarly, many
cartoons show indigenous people chanting in nonsense syllables while marching around a fire.
These misinterpretations or generalized stereotypes insult actual indigenous musical traditions,
which vary from tribe to tribe.
7. Are American Indian heroes and heroines represented in the film? Beware of movies that elevate
only the“friendlies”over the“hostiles”by making those individuals who helped white settlers the
“good guys”while those who defended their own homes or way of life into the“bad guys.”
8. How are gender roles represented? Are American Indian women consistently played as
subservient or only seen in the background? Are men always warriors or violent?
9. Be aware of the perspectives presented in films. Does the film only present its material from
a“white”point-of-view (ethnocentrism), while portraying indigenous people as a threat or an
obstacle? Or are American Indians depicted only as helpless victims or as spiritually supreme“noble
savages,”but never as ordinary people?
10. Play close attention to the overall tone of the film. Is it mocking, disrespectful, humiliating,
dehumanizing, or otherwise insulting? The overall tone of the film will influence children’s
perceptions of American Indian people and their cultures. Be especially cautious of animated films’
presentation of American Indians, as it is often degrading and stereotypical.
11. Help students understand the context in which films take place. Encourage students to seek
more information and determine for themselves the accuracy of films’portrayal (or omission) of
American Indians. (Students can use the resources for analyzing historical and primary documents to
analyze films and DVDs. See the Resources section.
12. Whenever possible, seek out reviews by American Indian reviewers.
Culturally and historically accurate films can be a valuable asset to educators and students. PBS has produced
several excellent documentaries on American Indians in U.S. history. The series We Shall Remain investigates five
specific historical topics from relevant indigenous perspectives, providing detail and depth not often achieved
in other films. Each episode includes supplementary education materials and lesson plans. All episodes and
corresponding educational resources are available online at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/weshallremain/
Grades 6-12.

REEL Injuns is a documentary about how Hollywood films have portrayed American Indians and tribes from the
1920s through the 1990s. It is suitable for use in the classroom, but does contain brief nudity. http://www.pbs.
org/independentlens/reel-injun/ Grades 8-12.
Websites and Online Content
The abundance of websites claiming to be“Native American”suggests close scrutiny of their contents and
creators. Educators can use the same criteria for evaluating print resources (main content, authors/illustrators,
visual imagery, and supplemental material) and DVDs/film to assess websites and online content. In addition to
these criteria, educators should ask the following questions:
1. What purpose does the website serve? Is its intention to educate, to sell products and/or services,
or to entertain?
2. Examine the creators/publishers of the website and the sources of the site’s information. Are
tribal affiliations specified? If the site was created by non-tribal entities, is credit for the American
Indian content documented?
3. Is the website specific to a particular tribal nation or group of tribes (such as tribes from a
particular region)? Be especially cautious of any generic “Native American” site or material that is not
clearly attributed to a specific tribe or individual. Tribal nations have their own official websites. Other
websites may contain accurate or inaccurate information about tribes, and the information they
provide can be cross-checked with official tribal websites, reliable print resources, or tribal culture
committees.
If not about a specific tribe, is the website or content specific to a particular issue or topic?
Or does it contain a jumble of different American Indian-related content? Also, is the content well
documented? For example, do websites that recount American Indian stories give credit to the
specific tribe for each story as well as to the storyteller? Is there additional content about the tribe to
provide an accurate cultural context for the story?
4. Check any links provided on the website. Do they lead to reputable and relevant sites?
Links to websites for Montana tribal nations are available in the Directory of Indian Education Programs in
Montana.
Another useful website for accurate information on regional tribes is Trail Tribes, http://www.trailtribes.org/.
Created by the Regional Learning Project of the University of Montana, this website contains a wide range of
historically accurate information (including primary source material, layered maps, and images) about tribes
encountered by Lewis and Clark. Information spans the pre-expedition era to the present. Grade 3-12.
For additional information on evaluating websites and online content for anti-Indian biases, see“Techniques for
Evaluating American Indian Websites”by Elizabeth Cubbins, athttp://www.u.arizona.edu/~ecubbins/webcrit.
html.

WorkingWith Historical and Primary Documents
Challenges ofWorking with Historical and Primary Documents
Historical and primary documents – including letters, newspaper articles, treaties, journals, photographs, census
reports, cartoons, and government documents – reflect the social, political, and cultural contexts in which they
were created, including the biases and prejudices of their creators and historical contexts. These documents can
be used effectively in the classroom to examine the prevalence of certain biases at particular eras in American
history and to investigate how such views influenced public policies, institutions, and people’s lives.
Educators can teach students how to assess primary and historical documents for bias by asking students to
examine critically the language, perspective, values, and objectives present in these documents as well as to
identify what has been omitted, denigrated, or de-valued. By investigating historical biases, students can make
connections between the biases prevalent at a certain era (as revealed in historical documents) and the events
they precipitated. Students will develop a greater awareness of how biases have shaped American society,
policies, and institutions. Understanding the development and impacts of historical prejudices and other biases
in the United States is a critical part of acquiring a more accurate and comprehensive picture of our national
history and our present circumstances.
Students can use the Historical and Primary Document Analysis Worksheet or one of the worksheets
provided in the Resources section. As students analyze and discuss the documents, educators will need to keep
several important things in mind:
1. Always remind students to examine historical and primary documents in the context in which they were
created. Context includes time, place, author, function/purpose, cultural perspectives, and intended
audience. Help students seek more information, if necessary, to understand the context adequately for
analyzing the document.
2. Help students work through feelings of self-reproach regarding issues, attitudes, and events they did
not participate in. Help them move beyond shame and blame, as these attitudes prevent students from
examining issues of bias and developing self-awareness.
3. Remind students the primary purpose of studying stereotypes, biases, and prejudices from the past is to
learn how to be more aware of parallel biases or similar prejudices today, so they may understand that
prejudices create lasting effects on real people’s lives.
4. Encourage students to make connections between historical prejudices and contemporary issues,
policies, events, and attitudes – including their own. Self-awareness will help students develop their
ability to address issues of inequity.
5. As they make real-life connections, students can be empowered to take action (in the form of creative
expression, written work, or social action) to confront such injustices.

Historical and Primary Document AnalysisWorksheet
Student’s Name: Date:
Title of Document:
Date of Document: __________________ Location (published or created):

Author/Illustrator/Creator:

Document Type (letter, newspaper article, treaty, political cartoon, drawing, etc.):

Who was the intended audience for this document?

How is this document related to events that were happening when and where it was created?

What is the main topic of the document?
Does the creator of the document use words, phrases, or images in order to influence the viewer’s opinion
on this topic? ___________ If so, what words, phrases, or images did the creator use to influence the viewer’s
opinion?
Does the creator of this document try to persuade the reader/viewer to take action? ________ If so, what
action?
What words, phrases, or images suggest this action?
List any words, phrases, or visual imagery from this document that you interpreted as being
value judgments:
stereotypes:
distortion:
ethnocentrism:
other forms of bias:
When you read this document, how did it make you feel or what did it make you think? Why?

Actively ImprovingWhatYouTeach andWhat Students Learn
Critically evaluating instructional materials is essential for preventing the perpetuation of misinformation,
biases, and stereotypes. When deciding what materials to use in your classroom, be mindful to choose literary
works, textbooks, visual materials, and digital resources that:
1. Integrate significant American Indian content throughout the text and include input from
multiple tribes. Incorporate materials that represent a wide variety of tribal cultures and a
broad spectrum of American Indian people, so students understand that tribes are diverse and
unique. Information about American Indians should be integrated throughout textbooks and the
curriculum, not isolated or treated as an after-thought.
2. Encourage students’understanding of inherent sovereignty. Materials should recognize and
respect that tribes have inherent sovereignty. Tribal nations have a unique relationship to the
United States based upon their status as nations; they are not ethnic minorities in the same sense as
other ethnic groups who lack this sovereign status. Tribal nations did not relinquish their inherent
sovereignty and continue to exercise it today when upholding their treaty rights and implementing
self-determination. (See Essential Understanding 7.)
3. Incorporate and respect diverse perspectives. Materials should provide multiple and divergent
perspectives (including diverse American Indian perspectives) and should do not elevate one culture
or over another. (See Essential Understanding 6.)
4. Recognize and honor the intrinsic value of indigenous cultures, instead of just describing
how indigenous peoples have contributed to American society or have been succeeded by
non-Indian standards. The original inhabitants of the continent have vast, diverse, and important
histories and cultures which they have documented through oral histories, place names, stories,
visual imagery, and individual memories. American Indian histories, cultures, and accomplishments
are as complex, varied, valid, and worthy of study as those of any other peoples or nations.
5. Challenge stereotypes. Incorporate an abundance of very specific, non-fiction materials about
actual American Indian people from different tribes and from different periods in time. Choose
materials that emphasize individual behaviors and personal qualities that are valued within their
own cultures as well as those that are valued within indigenous and non-Indian societies alike (such
as compassion, generosity, honesty, integrity, intelligence, humility, and courage). Materials should
depict American Indians as having a full range of human abilities, emotions, interests, and talents.
They should reveal the social, political, cultural, spiritual, and economic complexities of different
tribes, rather than implying that American Indians or tribal cultures are one-dimensional, frozen in
time, or monocultural.
6. Promote respect for American Indian women and girls. Throughout history, indigenous women
fulfilled important roles in their tribes’cultural societies, economies, and political systems. In some
indigenous societies, women held leadership positions, presided over intra- and inter-tribal affairs,
and controlled tribal economies. They were healers, midwives, skilled laborers, diplomats, and
even warriors. Today, American Indian women continue to have important social, leadership, and
professional roles in both their tribal and non-tribal communities.

7. Nurture American Indian students’self-worth. American Indian children need to see their own
cultures reflected positively in school curricula, as do non-Indians. Emphasize materials that promote
a sense of cultural self-worth and pride in one’s culture, ancestry, and heritage. Include an abun
dance of materials featuring indigenous heroes and heroines (including contemporary American
Indians, like Eloise Cobell), whose lives and accomplishments are not often included in written and
oral tribal histories. This will help all students develop a richer understanding of indigenous cultures
and a deeper appreciation for American Indian people.
8. Emphasize that American Indians and indigenous cultures are still alive today. Provide your
students with resources about both historical and contemporary American Indians.
Always set a positive example for your students by demonstrating respect and modeling self-
awareness. Remember that language and tone of voice convey ideas about the subject matter. Your approach
to implementing Indian Education for All will inspire or discourage your students, and the materials you feature
in your classroom will leave lasting impressions on them.

Resource Evaluation Checklist For Educators
Title of Resource:
Type of Resource: ___________________________________ Fiction: Non-Fiction:
Publisher or Website: ___________________________________ Publication Date:
Creator (author, illustrator, director):
General Questions:
1. Which tribe or tribes are identified in this resource?
2. If the creator of this resource is not a tribal member, were tribal members, cultural committees, or
knowledgeable experts consulted about the American Indian content in this resource?
3. Has this resource been reviewed by a tribal cultural committee, tribal historian, or other well-
qualified reviewer?
4. Is there anything about this resource that leads you to question the validity, accuracy, or authenticity
of the information it presents about American Indians?
What to watch out for:
Does the resource . . .
___ mix and match cultural attributes or characteristics from different tribes?
___ feature generic“Indians”or a vague“Native American”identity?
___ imply all indigenous peoples from North America have the same language, culture, history, spiritual
traditions, or way of life?
___ promote stereotypes or caricatures of American Indian people, tribes, or cultures?
___ imply American Indian people or cultures are inferior or bad?
___ use biased language to create prejudiced impressions of indigenous people or cultures?
___ perpetuate blatant inaccuracies about American Indian people, histories, or cultures?
___ omit, avoid, or minimize indigenous histories, people, or experiences?
___ imply that all American Indians and/or indigenous cultures are identical or extinct?
___ present only a non-Indian point-of-view of history or events?
___ mention only American Indians who were useful to Europeans or Euro-Americans?
___ avoid controversial or complex issues or gloss over harm inflicted by the policies, non-Indian citizens,
military, or government of the United States?
___ deny or seek to undermine tribal sovereignty, cultural self-worth, or linguistic value?
___ contain any material that would shame or embarrass an American Indian student?
___ contain any material that would cause any student to think American Indians or indigenous cultures are
inferior, bad, or unimportant?

What to include:
Does the resource…
___ correctly locate and identify tribes?
___ acknowledge the cultural, physical, and linguistic diversity between tribes?
___ present information about American Indians respectfully and accurately?
___ acknowledge tribal sovereignty and promote a better understanding of the unique relationship between
tribes and the federal government?
___ recognize and honor the intrinsic value of indigenous cultures as well as the importance of continued
cultural and linguistic survival?
___ acknowledge indigenous contributions to American society, history, politics, and culture?
___ include American Indian perspectives and experiences in a respectful manner?
___ address controversial or complex subjects by giving equal voice to all sides, including American Indian
people?
___ depict the cultural, religious, political, and economic diversity among present-day American Indians?
___ recognize and honor contemporary and/or historical American Indians who are heroes or heroines within
their own tribes?
___ portray American Indian people as intelligent, capable, trustworthy, and caring human beings?
___ nurture cultural and personal pride in American Indian students?
___ provide positive American Indian role models for all students?
___ encourage all students to respect American Indian people, histories, and cultures?
___ inspire all students to learn more about American people, histories, and cultures?

Additional Resources for Students and Educators

Most of the resources listed below are intended for teachers, librarians, and other educators; when resources
are also useful for students, grade level is indicated.
Print and Online Resources for Addressing Biases and Stereotypes
A Broken Flute: The Native Experience in Books for Children. (Book, 476 pages) Doris Seale (Santee/Cree)
and Beverly Slapin, eds. Series: Contemporary Native American Communities (Book 13). AltaMira Press, 2006.
ISBN-13: 978-0759107793. Montana OPI has provided this book to every school library.
American Indian Library Association. (Organization) http://ailanet.org/
• “I”Is Not For Indian: The Portrayal of Native Americans in Books for Young People. (Selective
Bibliography and Guide) Compiled By Naomi Caldwell-Good and Lisa A. Mitten for the Program of
the ALA/OLOS Subcommittee for Library Services to American Indian People. Atlanta, Georgia, June
29, 1991. http://ailanet.org/about/publications/i-is-not-for-indian/ This extensive bibliography
includes recommended titles, titles to avoid, and a guide to selecting books, plus sources of book
reviews.
• “I”Is For Inclusion: The Portrayal Of Native Americans In Books For Young People. Compiled by
Naomi Caldwell, Gabriella Kaye, and Lisa A. Mitten, for the Program of the ALA/OLOS Subcommit
tee for Library Services to American Indian People. American Indian Library Association, American
Indian Children’s Literature: Identifying and Celebrating the Good. Washington, D.C., June 23, 2007.
Revised, October, 2007. http://ailanet.org/docs/I%20IS%20FOR%20INCLUSION-rev%2010-07.pdf
The second of AILA’s substantial bibliographies includes Native American authors’books published
between 1991 and 2007, and reviews for books about contemporary American Indians. It includes
“Books We Love to Hate”– books these reviewers found significantly problematic—as well as an
updated list of resources for evaluating materials and sources for purchasing American Indian litera
ture.
American Indians in Children’s Literature. (Website/blog) Debbie Reese (Nambe Pueblo).
http://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/ Established in 2006, American Indians in Children’s
Literature (AICL) provides critical perspectives and analysis of indigenous peoples in children’s and young adult’s
books, school curriculum, popular culture, and American society. This extensive website includes links to book
reviews, Native media, and illustrations.
American Indians: Stereotypes and Realities. (Book, 154 pages) Devon A. Mihesuah (Choctaw). Clarity Press,
Inc., 2009. ISBN-10: 0932863221, ISBN-13: 978-0932863225. Mihesuah’s book addresses common stereotypes as
well as subtle forms of anti-American Indian racism in literature, film, sports, and American institutions; handy
for educators and librarians. Grade level: high school, educator.
An Updated Guide for Selecting Anti-Bias Children’s Books. (Webpage) Louise Derman-Sparks. Teaching for
Change Books, 2013. http://www.tfcbooks.org/2013-guide-anti-bias-childrens-books
Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves. (Book, 166 pages) Louise Derman-Sparks. National
Association for the Education of You, 2009. ISBN: 9781928896678.

Countering Prejudice against American Indians and Alaska Natives through Antibias Curriculum and
Instruction. (Article) Deirdre A. Almeida (Lenni Lenape/Shawnee). Charleston, WV: ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural
Education and Small Schools, 1996. ERIC Identifier: ED400146. http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED400146.pdf
Cultural Considerations. (Checklist and questions) Cunnion, Anh-Thu, with Ann Kaupp, Lynne Alstat, and
Genevieve Simermeyer. Smithsonian Institute, 2005. http://wintercounts.si.edu/html_version/pdfs/guidelines.
pdf This brief document lists what to do/not to do when teaching about American Indians. It was developed in
conjunction with the Smithsonian Institute’s exhibit of Lakota winter counts, but the advice it offers is applicable
to teaching about other indigenous peoples. This is one of the most succinct resources currently available.
Prepared for educators, but easily adaptable for student use.
Erasing Native American Stereotypes. (Checklist) JoAnne Lanouette. Anthropology Outreach Office, National
Museum of Natural History. Smithsonian Institute, 1996. http://anthropology.si.edu/outreach/Indbibl/sterotyp.
html
In Whose Honor? American Indian Mascots in Sports. (DVD, 86 minutes) Produced by Jay Rosenstein, New
Day Films. PBS: POV, 1997. Grades 7-12. http://www.pbs.org/pov/inwhosehonor/film_description.php
Myths and Stereotypes About Native Americans. (Essay) Walter C. Fleming (Kickapoo). Reprinted in Phi
Delta Kappan, November 7, 2006. Grades 9-12. http://webserv.jcu.edu/education/ed350/Myths%20and%20
Stereotypes%20About%20Native%20Americans.pdf
Oyate. (Organization) http://oyate.org/ Oyate is an online organization that provides critical reviews of literature
and media resources related to American Indians. Educators and the public can e-subscribe to their reviews
and can order a variety of American Indian children’s literature through Oyate’s website. Additionally, Oyate
offers helpful online checklists for evaluating print and digital materials for anti-Indian biases, stereotypes, and
misinformation:
• Oyate’s “How to Tell the Difference”page for assessing literature: http://oyate.org/index.php/re
sources/41-resources/how-to-tell-the-difference
• Oyate’s “Additional Criteria” for evaluation of illustrations, etc.:
http://oyate.org/index.php/resources/42-resources/oyate-s-additional-criteria
Reel Injuns. (DVD, 88 minutes) Directed by Neil Diamond (Cree), 2009. Note to educators: Please preview this
DVD, as it does contain some language and brief partial nudity.
http://www.lorberfilms.com/reel-injun/reel-injun/ Grades 8-12.
Teaching About Native American Issues. (Webpage)
http://www.understandingprejudice.org/teach/native.htm
Techniques for Evaluating American Indian Websites. (Web article, n.d.) University of Arizona.
http://www.u.arizona.edu/~ecubbins/webcrit.html
Unlearning“Indian”Stereotypes. (Slideshow on DVD, 12 minutes.) Originally produced by the Council on
Interracial Books for Children, 1977. Enhanced by Rethinking Schools, 2008. Grades 3-12. Can be purchased
through Rethinking Schools: http://www.rethinkingschools.org/ProdDetails.asp?ID=9780942961409
Washington Models for the Evaluation of Bias Content in Instructional Materials. (Article) Washington
Office of Public Instruction, 2009. Defines various general biases in a format that allows students and educators
to assess educational media. Not specific to American Indian content. For educators and older students.
http://www.k12.wa.us/Equity/pubdocs/WashingtonModelsfortheEvaluationofBias.pdf

Resources for Analyzing Historical and Primary Documents
The resources listed below can also be used by students to analyze contemporary documents.
Coming to Light: Edward S. Curtis and the North American Indians. (DVD; 85 minutes.) Anne Makepeace,

Director. PBS: American Masters (season 15, episode 8), 2001.

A critical analysis of Edward S. Curtis’photographs of American Indian people, this investigative film encourages

viewers not to accept all photographs at face value. Grades: 6-12.

Document Analysis Worksheets. National Archives. http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/

Includes worksheets for text documents, photographs, cartoons, posters, maps, artifacts, motion pictures, and

sound recordings. Grades: 1-5.

Engaging Students with Primary Sources. Smithsonian Institute. http://historyexplorer.si.edu/PrimarySources.

pdf Students of all ages can learn about using primary sources and historical documents, including how to

analyze them for points-of-view, biases, and intention. All grade levels.

Teacher’s Guides and Analysis Tool. Library of Congress.
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/usingprimarysources/guides.html
Presents a non-technical approach for undertaking an interpretive analysis of a variety of document types and

media, but does not directly address the presence of stereotypes, biases, or potential misinformation. Although

these guides were created for teachers, they are suitable for all grade levels.

Using Primary Sources. Library of Congress. http://www.loc.gov/teachers/usingprimarysources/

This resource encourages readers to look critically and thoroughly at primary documents and assess them with

multiple criteria in mind, including presence of stereotypes and biases, creator’s intentions, and context of the

primary document. For educators and all grade levels.

Montana IEFA Lesson Plans on Stereotypes, Biases, and Quality of Information
“Fact or Fiction?” Indian Education Division, Montana Office of Public Instruction. Grade: 1.
“Stereotypes.” Indian Education Division, Montana Office of Public Instruction. Grade: 3.
“Strategic Skill: Evaluating Information Quality Using Electronic Sources.” Indian Education Division, Montana
Office of Public Instruction. Grade: 4.
“Identifying Stereotypes and Countering Them.” Indian Education Division, Montana Office of Public Instruction.
Grade: 4.
“Quality of Information: Point of View and Bias.” Indian Education Division, Montana Office of Public Instruction.
Grade: 5.
“Historical Inaccuracy in Movies – The Pocahontas Myth.” Indian Education Division, Montana Office of Public
Instruction. Grades: 7-8.
“Point of View, Misconceptions, and Errors of Omission – Perspectives on the Battle of the Little Big Horn.” Indian
Education Division, Montana Office of Public Instruction. Grades: 7-8.

“Analyzing Multiple Viewpoints – The Lewis and Clark Expedition.” Indian Education Division, Montana Office of
Public Instruction. Grades: 9-12.
“Montana’s Landless Indians in the Era of Assimilation: A Case of Contradictions.” Written by Laura Ferguson
for the Montana Historical Society and the Montana Office of Public Instruction, Montana Historical Society
Education Office, 2014. This week-long lesson plan involves extensive primary document analysis and
assessment for biases while investigating how landless Indians were portrayed by the press, governmental
officials, and Montana citizens between 1885 and 1915. Grades: 8-12.
“Montana Indians: Their History and Location.” Indian Education Division, Montana Office of Public Instruction,
revised edition, 2015.
Helpful Montana Resources
Indian Education Division, Montana OPI. http://www.opi.mt.gov/Programs/indianed/
Montana Tribes. http://www.montanatribes.org/ Created by the Regional Learning Project of the University
of Montana in conjunction with the Indian Education Division of the Montana Office of Public Instruction.
This website provides links to Montana tribal nations’websites at http://www.montanatribes.org/links_&_
resources/maps.php and video introductions to the Essential Understandings Regarding Montana Indians.

Sources
Almeida, Deidre A. Countering Prejudice against American Indians and Alaska Natives through Antibias Curriculum
and Instruction. Charleston, WV: ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small Schools, 1996.
http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED400146.pdf
Council for Interracial Books for Children. Stereotypes, Distortions and Omissions in U.S. History, New York: Council
for Interracial Books for Children, 1977. Republished by ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small
Schools. http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED135905.pdf
Cunnion, Anh-Thu, with Ann Kaupp, Lynne Alstat, and Genevieve Simermeyer. Cultural Considerations.
Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institute, 2005. http://wintercounts.si.edu/html_version/pdfs/guidelines.pdf
De Usabel, Frances, and Jane A. Roeber. American Indian Resource Manual for Public Libraries. Wisconsin
Department of Public Instruction, 1992. Publication No. 92429. http://archive.org/details/ERIC_ED360995
Heinrich, June Sark.“Native Americans: What Not to Teach.”In Unlearning “Indian” Stereotypes, A Teaching Unit for
Elementary Teachers and Children’s Librarians. New York: Council on Interracial Books for Children, 1977.
Oyate. Oyate’s Additional Criteria. Oyate, 2015. http://oyate.org/index.php/resources/42-resources/oyate-s
additional-criteria
Pepper, Floy C. Unbiased Teaching About American Indians and Alaska Natives in Elementary Schools. Charleston,
WV: ERIC Digest ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small Schools, 1990. https://ia601406.us.archive.
org/34/items/ERIC_ED321968/ERIC_ED321968.pdf
Seale, Doris, and Beverly Slapin. How to Tell the Difference: A Guide for Evaluating Children’s Books for Anti-Indian
Bias. Oyate, 2000. http://oyate.org/index.php/resources/41-resources/how-to-tell-the-difference

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For information or to file a complaint, contact OPITitle IX/EEO Coordinator at (406) 444-3161 or opipersonnel@mt.gov.

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